Apple’s Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) success in China has prompted the opening of the country’s first iCloud data center on mainland China. The center was a joint project between Apple and a China’s state-owned telecommunications company, China Telecom Corporation Ltd, prompting user concern over data privacy and security.

The new center was launched in hopes of aiding issues of slow iCloud connectivity users were experiencing in mainland China, and required the cooperation of local company, China Telecom to ensure peak performance of the iCloud's data servers. “We have added China Telecom to our list of data center providers to increase bandwidth and improve performance for our customers in mainland China,” Apple said in a statement to the South China Morning Post.

However, China Telecom’s “deep involvement” in the project has raised concerns that the security of data stored in the iCloud could be compromised or even censored. Apple is attempting to quell such fears by announcing security measures have been put in place to avoid such data mining. “Apple takes user security and privacy very seriously. All data stored with our providers is encrypted. China Telecom does not have access to the content,” the statement continued.

According to various experts, encryption and security technology that Apple uses has a reputation of being consistent and reliable in the tech industry. While security breaches by the Chinese government may not be as much of a concern under Apple, some suspect that the China-based data center may have been established to ease concerns of information security of Chinese government data that is being sent back overseas to the US.

“I suspect there could be a deal between Apple and Beijing,” an unnamed Beijing-based Internet security expert told the newspaper. “You move your data center to China, or I will ban the access to iCloud.”

China’s ban on the use of the Windows 8 operating system has been seen as a way for China to have control over information security, especially in an official capacity, particularly in the wake of last year’s NSA spying scandal. Though widely used in China, Microsoft-owned (NASDAQ: MSFT) Windows 8 was targeted because it sends data to cloud centers in the United States. According to a separate report by South China Morning Post, software firms Symantec and Kaspersky Lab have also been banned by the government, also in the name of “national security concerns.”

Earlier this month, rumors swirled that a list of Apple products had been banned for use by government officials because of security concerns. The list included ten Apple products, including the iPad, MacBook Air and MacBook pro, were supposedly no longer approved for use by Chinese officials. China’s Management Procurement Office later came out calling the reports revealed by Bloomberg, citing an unnamed official, either to be “speculation or misunderstanding.”

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1. ELIGIBILITY. The Giveaway is open only to legal residents of the 50 states of the United States and the District of Columbia who are the age of majority in their respective jurisdiction at the time of entry (19 in AL and NE and 18 in all other states). Sponsor and its advertising or promotion agencies, those involved in the production, development, implementation or handling of this Giveaway, any agents acting for, or on behalf of Sponsor, its respective affiliates, subsidiaries, licensees, service providers, and any other person or entity associated with this Giveaway are referred to as the “Giveaway Entities.” Employees, officers, and directors of the Giveaway Entities and members of their immediate families (spouses, children, siblings, parents and their spouses), and/or persons living in the same household as such persons, whether or not related, are ineligible to enter this Giveaway.

2. PROMOTION ENTRY PERIOD: The Giveaway begins on July 1, 2015 at 12:00 a.m. EST and ends at 11:59:59 p.m. September 31, 2015 (the “Giveaway Period”). When applicable, the Sponsor’s computers will be deemed the official time keeping devices for the Giveaway promotion.

3. HOW TO ENTER. You will receive one entry into the random drawing for the Giveaway Period when you provide a verified e-mail through our designated modal window interface. Limit one (1) entry per person/email address. Multiple entries will be disqualified. All previous winners of any giveaway or contest sponsored by IBT Media are not eligible to enter. Any effort by an entrant to misrepresent himself or herself through the use of aliases or multiple e-mail addresses will disqualify that entrant. Registrations generated by a script, macro or other automated means are void. You must be the rightful owner of the email address provided. In the event of a dispute as to the identity of the winner, the winner will be deemed to be the authorized account holder of the email address provided at the time of entry. Entrants must provide all information requested to be eligible to win. Incomplete or unintelligible entries, in the sole discretion of Sponsor, will be disqualified. Sponsor will not verify receipt of entries and assumes no responsibility for late, lost, damaged, misidentified or misdirected entries.

4. PRIZE DRAWINGS AND NOTIFICATION OF CHOSEN ENTRANTS. A random drawing will be conducted by Sponsor on or about the first week following the Giveaway Period from among all eligible entries received to award one prize (described below). Selected entrants will be notified by email and will be required to respond (as directed) to the e-mail notification within 72 hours of attempted notification. Failure to respond timely to the notification may result in forfeiture of the prize. Selected entrants may also be required to complete an affidavit of eligibility and liability / publicity release (except where such a requirement is prohibited by law). If the completed Release is not returned within the time specified, the prize may be forfeited.

One (1) Prize per Giveaway Period: An Apple Watch Sport™, which is a registered trademark of Apple Inc. Approximate Retail Value: $349. Limit one (1) prize per person/household. No substitution, transfer, or cash equivalent for any prize, except that Sponsor, at its sole discretion, may substitute a prize with a prize of equal value, due to unavailability of advertised prize. Each prize will be awarded provided each prize is properly claimed. The prize will be shipped by Sponsor to the winners within 1-5 weeks of the receipt of a signed affidavit for approved entries. Prize winners are responsible for all taxes and fees related to any prize received. Actual retail value of prizes may vary due to market conditions. The difference in value of prize as stated herein and value at time of prize notification, if any, will not be awarded.

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8. PUBLICITY AND RELEASE FORMS: Sponsor reserves the right to use the Giveaway for publicity purposes in any media, and to use the name, likeness, and hometown name and/or prize information of prize winners as part of that publicity, without any compensation or prior review, unless prohibited by law. Each prize winner will be required to submit a declaration and a liability/publicity release and confirmation that the prize winner has followed the rules of the Giveaway, in the form supplied by Sponsor (the "Declaration and Release"), and signed by the prize winner. The Declaration and Release must be signed and returned within seven (7) days of notification. Prize won by an eligible entrant who is a minor in his/her state of residence will be awarded to minor's parent or legal guardian who must sign and return all required documents. In the event the Affidavit and Release is not returned within this period, an alternate winner may be selected for such prize. Any prize notification or prize returned to Sponsor as undeliverable will result in the awarding of that prize to an alternate winner (who will be required to comply with similar procedures).

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10. PRIVACY. Please refer to Sponsor’s privacy policy located at http://www.ibtimes.com/corporate/privacy for important information regarding the collection, use and disclosure of personal information by Sponsor.

11. WINNER LIST. For names of the winners, send your request in a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: The IBT Media Email Address Monthly Giveaway Winners List, 7 Hanover Square, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10004. Winner lists will be sent out once winners have been verified. The name of the all winners will be posted only for 30 days after the end of the Entry Period.

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